Burner nozzle with flame control means



Dec. 26, 1950 c. w. SMITH BURNER NOZZLE WITH FLAME CONTROL MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 29, 1947 INVENTOR- Ce ci/ N Smif/z Dec. 26, 1950 c. w. SM'ITH. 2,535,166

BURNER NOZZLE WITH FLAME CONTROL MEANS Filed Sept. 29, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. C eil W. Smifh Patented Dec. 26, 1950 BURNER NOZZLE WITH FLAME CONTROL MEANS Cecil W. Smith, Waterman, Ill.

Application September 29, 1947, Serial No. 776,662

3 Claims.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved nozzle for an oil burner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a nozzle for a burner capable of producing a spray or'jet of uniform mixture characteristics, and of discharging such spray at a substantially uniform volume rate of flow so as to eliminate any uneven burning of the spray.

Yetanother object of this invention is to provide a nozzle for an oil burner of a construction such that an efficient burning takes place of both the light and heavy ends of substantially all types of commercially available burner fuels.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a nozzle for an'oi'l burner which is adapted torhighly atomize an air and fuel mixture supplied thereto under pressures in the neighborhood of from three to four pounds per square inch.

Another-object of this invention is to provide an oil burner nozzle adapted to eliminate any stratification of theair and fuel, in an air and fuel mixture flowing therethrough, and to maintain the'fuel uniformly dispersed in the air to the zone of burning.

vStill a further object of this invention is to provide an oil burner nozzle so constructed that burning of the air and fuel spray discharged therefrom takes place with substantially no noise and without any appreciable heating of the nozzle.

A feature of this invention is found in the provision of a nozzle for an oil burner which is formed with a system of inter-connected passages successively arranged in planes normal to each other. Atleast one junction of a pair of adjacent inter-connected passages has an expansion chamber or mixture-receiving pocket so arranged that the mixture admitted into the chamber from one of such passages is reversed in flow so as to travel against the incoming mixture prior to the continued flow of the mixture into the other passage.

Another feature of this invention is found in the provision of a nozzle for an'oil burner having a passage system foran air and fuel mixture of a construction to provide for an increased velocity flow of the mixture prior to the flow of the mixture into an open chamber having a single opening, so that the mixture is thoroughly mixed and agitated by its expansion and reversed flow in such chamber whereby to eliminate any stratification of the air and fuel in the mixture.

Yet another feature of this invention is found in the provision of a nozzle for an oil burner in which a passage systemfor an air-andi-fuel mixture supplied to the nozzle is comprised of a plurality of interconnected longitudinal and transverse passages in which all of the longitudinal passages arein horizontal planes. At the junction of certain of the longitudinal and transverse passages, the system is formed with open mixture-receiving chambers having single openings in fluid registration with such junction, arranged to provide for a counter flow of the mixture into and out of the chambers whereby to eliminate any Stratification of the air and fuel in the mixture. A swirling motion is, imparted to the mixture spray discharged from the nozzle by means located adjacent to the outlet of the passage system. By virtue of the horizontal disposition of the longitudinal passages. any uneven burning of the spray is overcome by merely rotating the nozzle about its longitudinal axis to an adjusted position in the direction of the lean burning portions of the spray.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when. taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the oil burner nozzle of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the nozzle taken along the lines '2-2 in Figs. 1 and 3.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views as seen on the lines 3-.3, 4-4 and 5-5 respectively, in Fig.2;

Fig. 6 is a developed view of the nozzle body member;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the body member illustrated on a reducedscale relative to its showing in Fig. 2;

Fig. '8 is a diagrammatic showing of the passage system in the nozzle for the air and fuel mixture;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the front portion of the nozzle, with parts broken away;

Fig. l8 isa top plan view of a modifiedform of the invention having certain parts broken away .to more clearly show its construction;

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view as seen along the line i il l in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line l2l 2 in Fig. 11.

With reference to the drawings, the nozzle of this invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 as including a body membe It), a plug or insert member lfiand a cap or casing member H. The P m b r 55 is of a generally cylindrical shape provided with an axial bore I8 having a plurality of adjacent sections of varying diameters and shapes. Thus, as best appears in Fig. 2, the bore I8, from the rear end !9 of the plug member I5, is formed in succession with a forwardly and inwardly tapered internally threaded section 2| which terminates in a straight section 22; a forwardly and inwardly tapered section 23 terminating in a straight section 24; a straight section 26 of a greater diameter than the section 24; and a straight section 21 of a greater diameter than the section 26. The bore section 2| is adapted for connection with the threaded tapered end 28 of an air and fuel sup ply tube 30.

Extended transversely through the body member i and through the bore It? at a position adjacent to the rear end of the bore section 26, is a fluid passage 29 (Figs. 2 and 3). The opposite ends of the transverse passage 29 are in fluid registration with circumferential grooves 3! (Figs. 3 and 7) formed in the peripheral surface of the body member !5 and extended in the same direction from the ends of the transverse passage 29 such that the ends 32 of the circumferential grooves 31 are arranged opposite each other at the top and bottom sides of the body member 15.

The ends 32 of the circumferential grooves 3| (Figs. 5, 6 and 7) are open to the rear ends of a pair of longitudinally extended grooves 33, the forward ends 36 of which are in fluid registration with circumferential grooves 34 at positions substantially intermediate the ends of the grooves 34. In turn the opposite ends 3'! of the circumferential grooves 34 are fluid connected with the rear ends of longitudinal grooves 38, the front ends 39 of which are connected with openings 4| arranged in a spaced relation about the body member l5 and tangential to the section 2i of the bore [8.

From a consideration of Figs. 2 and 6, it is seen that the longitudinal grooves 33 are of a greater length than the longitudinal grooves 38, and that the combined length of these grooves is such that the inner ends 42 of the tangential openings 4| are open to the bore [8 at positions adjacent to the front end of the bore section 21. It will be further noted that all of the longitudinal grooves 33 and 38 are arranged in a parallel relation with the longitudinal axis of the body member [5 for a purpose which will appear later.

The plug member I6 is of a generally cylindrical shape with a peripheral surface of an irregular contour. Referring to Fig. 2, the plug member it from its rear end 25 is formed in succession with a straight section as, a forwardly and inwardly tapered section (it and a head section 46 having a rim d! at the rear end thereof. The tapered section at comprises a series of circumferential step portions 45.

The plug section 43 is inserted in a close fit within the section 27 of the bore l8 to a position defined by the engagement of its rear end 25 with a shoulder 48 formed at the junction of the bore sections 26 and 27. When thus posi tioned the head section 46 is located outwardly from the bore i8 and entirely forwardly of the front end d9 of the body member i 5 and the inner or outlet ends 42 of the openings 4| are opposite the forward end of the stepped or tapered section 14 of the plug it. It is seen, therefore, that the bore I8 is closed by the plug {3 ing of the air and fuel therein.

at the front end of its section 26 and at a position forwardly of the transverse passage 29.

The casing H is of a hollow cylindrical shape having an open rear end 52 (Fig. 2) and a discharge orifice 53 at its front end. The orifice 53 is comprised of an outwardly and rearwardly tapered section 54 terminating in a straight section 56. The junction 5'! of the straight section 55 for the main bore 58 of the casing ll constitutes an annular shoulder or seat at the front end of the main bore 53 of the casing.

In the assembly of the casing I! with the body member [5 and plug l6, the body member is received within the main casing bore 58 and coacting threaded portions 59 and 6! on the body member l5 and casing l1, respectively, are tightened until the body member front end 49 engages the shoulder 57. When the parts of the nozzle are thus relatively positioned, the head 66 on the plug member It is arranged in a spaced relation entirely within the section 56 of the discharge orifice 53, and at a position rearwardly of the tapered orifice section 5 3.

Further, and as appears in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the side Wall of the casing main bore 58 covers the grooves 3!, 33, 3d and 38 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the body member [5 so that such grooves constitute a system of interconnected passages extended between the nozzle inlet 38 and the tangential openings ll, and terminating in the discharge orifice 53.

This passage system is best understood from a consideration of Figs. 6 and 8. For the purpose of convenience and clarity of description, the grooves 3!, 33, 34 and 38 will hereinafter be referred to as fluid passages. It is thus seen that the air and fuel mixture supplied to the inlet 3!} is first divided at the transverse passage 29 for flow through the passages 23, 3| and 33. Likewise, at the junction of the passages 33 with the passages 3 the mixture flow is again divided for travel through the passages 34 and 38 and openings H. The mixture flow from the single inlet 33 is thus successively divided for flow in four separate paths from the openings 4! and into the section 2! of the body member bore l8.

In order to eliminate any stratification of the air and fuel that might be present in the mixture supplied to the inlet 30, the rear end 25 of the plug Hz (Fig. 2) is located forwardly of the transverse passage 29, as was previously described, so that the portion of the bore section 26, between the passage 29 and the plug I6, defines an expansion or mixture receiving chamber, indicated at 34, arranged as a forward extension of the inlet 30.

As the fuel flows through the inlet 30 its velocity flow is increased by its travel through the tapered and restricted sections 22 and 23, respectively, prior to its admission into the chamber 64. Since the chamber 54 is of an enlarged diameter relative to the restricted section 24, the mixture is permitted to expand within the chamber 64 to accomplish a more thorough mix- Further, the chamber 64 is of What might be termed an open type, namely, having an inlet and outlet arranged adjacent to each other, so that the mixture passing outwardly from the chamber 64 flows counter to and against the mixture entering the chamber 64. As a result, the air and fuel in the mixture is further intermingled by its counterflow in the chamber 64 prior to its passage outwardly therefrom into the passage 29.

.Substantially the same mixing action on the air and fuel takes place at the junctions of the circumferential passages 3| with the'longitudina'l passages 33, at which junctions the ends of the passages 31 are extended beyond the rear ends of the longitudinal passages 33 to form open-mixture receiving chambers designated at 36 (Figs. 2 and 3). The mixture from the pasages 3| thus flows into the chambers 66 where it expands and then flows in a counter-relation against the fuel flowing toward the longitudinal passages 33.

Ina like manner mixture-receiving chambers Bland 68, provided at the junctions of the lon gitudinal passages 33 with the circumferential passages 34, and at the junctions of the circumferential passages 34 with the longitudinal passages .38, act in a manner similar to the chambers 64 and 66, to .atomize .andmore uniformly disperse the fuel with the air, in the air and fuel mixture.

Further, as shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 7, the longitudinal passages .33 are of a reduced cross sectional area at portions 59 arranged rearwardly-of their junctions with the circumferential passages 34, whereby to provide for an increased velocity how of the mixture in such passages prior to the flow of the mixture into the chanibers 68. It will be understood, of course, that these restrictions or chokes in the longitudinal passages 33 and circumferential passages 36 also permit'a greater degree of expansion of the air and fuel .mixture which enters the chambers 52 and 68.

As previously explained, the air and fuel mixture from the openings 4| is discharged with a swirling or spiral motion which results in the mixture being rotated about the stepped or tapered section 44 of the plugmember is (Fig. '9). The mixture thus rotated moves forwardly about the tapered section 54 and against the rim d'i of the head section 46, and is thrown outwardly from about the rim 4'! for discharge through the orifice 53 in a hollow cone shape. Because of the whirling or rotational movement of the mixture thrown outwardly from the head member 56, theheavier ends of the fuel tend to accumulate or collect in the form of a foam, indicated as 12, along the wall of the tapered orifice section 54. As the heavy fuel ends 72 reach the forward edge of the tapered section 54, they are picked up by the main body or flow of the air and fuel mixture through the discharge orifice 53 for thorough mixing therewith.

There is a tendency for some of the mixture from the openings 4| traveling upwardly or rearwardly on the tapered section 44. In the event this rearwardly moving mixture is permitted to accumulate about the rear portion of the tapered section 44, it will eventually break loose and move as a slug in droplet form into the discharge orifice 53. When this occurs the volume rate of mixture flow through the discharge orifice 553 is momentarily increased to in turn increase the size of the flame resulting from the burning of the cone shaped spray. This condition is eliminated by the stepped contour of the tapered section 44, since the fuel mixture tending to move rearwardly about such section, is progressively broken up by the steps 45 in the section M for travel in relatively small portions through the discharge Orifice 53. As a result burning takes place at a substantially uniform rate and without any appreciable fluctuation in the size or intensity of the flame.

In the operation of an oil burner, it often happens that when the burnenis shut oitfueltends to accumulate ;at the discharge orifice '53 :and travel rearwardly along the nozzle soas to .be generally lost for burning purposes. In the pres ent invention the front end of the casing" (Fig. 1) is formed with a rearwardly and outwardly tapered section 13 which is joined with a rearwardly and inwardly tapered section 14 so as to form a high spot or rib 16 about the casing I1. Thus any fuel that might drip from the dis charge orifice '53 travels downwardly for :collection on the rib 16 from where it drops away from the nozzle and into the supplementary air stream which generally flows about the nozzle.

In the use of the nozzle it is contemplated that the transverse passage 29 be arranged in a substantially horizontal plane. By this arrangement, if any stratification of the air and fuel in the mixture supplied to the inlet 30 is present, all parts of the stratified mixture will be acted upon uniformly in the mixture-receiving chamber 64. Further, in the event the spray is burning unevenly, that is, more lean on "one side thereof than on the other, by merely rotating the nozzle about its longitudinal axis in the di rection of the lean'burning portion, the uneven burning of the spray will be completely eliminated.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 show amodi-fied form of the invention which is similar in many respects to the nozzle described in connection with Figs. .1 and 2, so that similar numeralsof reference will be 'used'to designate like parts.

The modified nozzle includes a body =member 15, a plug member 16 and a casing ll. The body member 15 is formed with an axial bore l8 and a transverse passage 2% relatively formed and arranged in a manner similar to the bore l3 and passage 29 in the body member l5. The opposite ends of the passage '29 are open to the rear ends of a pair of longitudinal oppositely arranged grooves ll formed in the peripheral surface of the body member 15. The plug member 8.) is constructed with a straight section 18 received in the bore section 21 to a position defined by the engagement of its rear end 19 with the shoulder '48. An annular flange Bl on the front end of the straight section 18 is in seated engagement with the front end 82 of the body member 75 and is formed on its front side with a pair of oppositely arranged hollow involute or spiral portions 83 open at one end to the longitudinal grooves 11 and of a shape to provide for a whirling motion of the mixture discharged therefrom about a plug reduced section which terminates in a head section .84. The cap member I! is connected with the body member l5. in all respects similar to its connection with the body member l5. such that the head section 84 is disposed within the straightsection 56 of the discharge orifice 53 and the grooves l! are closed to form fluid passages.

In the operation of the modified form of the nozzle the air and fuel mixture supplied to the inlet 3a is thoroughly mixed and all parts of the fuel intermingled with the air on its passage through the tapered section 23, restricted section 24 and mixing chamber 64 in all respects similar to its passage through the like parts described in connection with Fig. 2. The mixture from the chamber 54 travels through the passage 29 and the longitudinal passages 11 for discharge through the hollow involutes 83 with a whirling motion for rotation about the reduced section 85 of the plug 16. The mixture is then thrown outwardly from the rear side 86 of the head member 84 for discharge through the orifice 53 in a spray of a substantially cone shape.

From a consideration of the above description, it is seen that the invention provides an improved nozzle and method for preparing or mixing an air and fuel mixture for efficient burning which is comprised of a relatively few number of parts of a simple construction capable of being easily and quickly assembled. Further, the nozzle is adapted for operation over long periods of time without servicing attention, since no critical adjustments are required to maintain its efficient operation. In actual practice air and fuel supplied to the nozzle, at pressures in the neighborhood of three to four pounds per square inch, is capable of being thoroughly mixed and atomized so as to provide a flame of uniform burning characteristics.

The nozzle provides for an even burning about the complete periphery of the cone shaped spray without any substantial variation in the intensity of the flame or in the position of the flame relative to the front end of the nozzle. The mixturereceiving and mixing chambers provided in the passage system in the nozzle effectively eliminate any stratification in the air and fuel that might be present in the mixture.

Although the invention has been described with respect to several embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A nozzle for an oil burner comprising a body member formed with an axial bore having an internally threaded portion at its rear end for connection with a fuel supply pipe, and a horizontal transverse passage extended through said body member, with the outer peripheral surface of said body member being formed with a pair of oppositely arranged longitudinal grooves, and a pair of circumferentially extended grooves open at one of th ir ends to the outer ends of said transverse passage, and at their opposite ends open to the rear ends of said longitudinal grooves, with the front ends of said longitudinal grooves being connected with openings arranged tangential to said bore at a position adjacent to the front end of said body member, a plug mem- 2. A nozzle for an oil burner having an inlet for an air and fuel mixture and a discharge orifice, means fluid connecting said inlet with said orifice consisting of a single passage extended transversely of said inlet and arranged in a substantially horizontal plane, said inlet intersecting the passage intermediate the ends thereof so that the mixture from said inlet is discharged from opposite ends of said transverse passage, a pair of longitudinal passages, with each of said longitudinal passages having an end thereof connected respectively to an opposite end of said transverse passage, expansion chambers at the junctions of said transverse passage with said longitudinal passages, means for directing the air and fuel mixture from the other ends of said longitudinal passages in a spiral path for discharge from said orifice in a spray form for flame burning, and means supporting said nozzle for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis therefor, whereby the burning of the discharged spray in an even flame is controlled by rotation of the nozzle in the direction of the lean burning portion of the flame.

3. A nozzle for an oil burner having an axial air and fuel mixture inlet at its rear end and a discharge orifice at its front end, a passage system fluid connecting said inlet and orifice comprising a transverse passage arranged in a substantially horizontal plane and extended across the front end of said inlet so as to be in fluid registration intermediate its ends with said inlet whereby the mixture from said inlet is discharged from opposite ends of said transverse passage. a pair of longitudinally extended passages, with each of said longitudinal passages being connected at the rear end thereof to an opposite end of said transverse passage, a mixing chamber located opposite the front end of said inlet so that a portion of the mixture from said inlet flows in reversed directions in said mixing chamber prior to the flow of said mixture toward the opposite ends of said transverse passage, and means adjacent the outlet of said passage system for imparting a swirling motion to the mixture discharged from said orifice.

CECIL W. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the,

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,094,075 Kiser Apr. 21, 1914 1,625,635 Willners Apr. 19, 1927 2,069,493 Lang et al. Feb. 2, 1937 2,089,673 Steinmann Aug. 10, 1937 2,092,519 IcLean Sept. 7, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,221 Great Britain July 13, 1916 516,724 Great Britain Jan. 10, 1940 

